On Tuesday, 15 November, ten disabled people will perform to an audience of 200 people at the iconic Porchester Hall, as they compete in a very special community initiative aimed at shattering stereotypes and breaking barriers to participation.
Over 100 disabled people have taken part in free dance workshops as part of Dance Westminster, a pan-disability initiative created by inclusive dance company Step Change Studios in partnership with Westminster City.
Participants were also encouraged to audition for the competition and 10 finalists were chosen to train with professional dance partners and perform in a special grand finals event in London.
The age range of finalists is 12-91 and include participants with sight loss, Autism, and Dementia. Most will be dancing to a live audience for the first time and have chosen a diverse range of music covering Bollywood, Hip Hop, Fado, Swing and Contemporary.
Three of the finalists come from South Asian heritage.
Hishaam, Tayyibah and Faiq would be performing at the finals.
Tayyibah is a British-Bangladeshi with a learning disability. She is a much-valued learner at QEII Jubilee School. Arriving at the school many years ago, Tayyibah was incredibly quiet and introverted. The sixteen-year-old has progressed spectacularly over the last few years and has found her voice and her confidence. She is generous, kind and a great friend to so many people in her school community. The school is so proud to see her dancing in this competition and see it as another significant step on her journey towards independence. She has chosen to dance to ‘Shake It Off’ by Taylor Swift and has picked up the dance moves with confidence and is really showing off her personality.
Faiq has Autism Spectrum Disorder. He is a student at College Park School. The twelve-year-old loves singing and dancing. One of his favourite activities is using technology to create animation. Faiq is really creative and enjoys exploring different art and craft resources such as modelling clay, and painting. Faiq has chosen a retro hip hop song: MC Hammer, Can’t Touch This.
Hishaam, who is 13-years-old and has Autism will be dancing to Bollywood music and has been practicing with his traditional ‘dandiya’ sticks.
Image: John Trigg
His parents said: “Hishaam is our only child. He was born healthy and reached all his milestones up to the age of two. We became concerned as he grew older, moving from saying single words to becoming silent. He has come a long way since then and we are extremely proud of his achievements. This has only been possible due to the love and support from all family and friends, and especially his grandparents who have always believed that he will overcome any challenge that he faces. We are British Asians and very proud of our culture. Dance has especially helped him gain confidence and to express his emotions. We are all excited to see him perform.”
Rashmi Becker MBE, founder of Step Change Studios said: “78% of disabled people say their impairment or condition stops them being active, yet 8 in 10 want to be more active. The pandemic led to less support and increasing barriers relating to health and fitness for disabled people with less than 3 in 10 disabled people wanting to return to physical activity after the pandemic. Now in its third year, Dance Westminster targets disabled people who lack opportunities to be active and who stand to gain the biggest benefits to their wellbeing.
“We know from the popularity of shows like Strictly, how much the nation loves dancing. It is wonderful to see our finalists dancing standing, seated, with their Zimmer frames and sensory props and getting lost in the music. Dancing is something everyone should be able to enjoy and I hope initiatives like this help challenge perceptions of who can dance and lead to more diversity in dance – from community to professional level.”
